This article was co-authored by Adrian Tandez. Adrian Tandez is the founder and head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center. He is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat under the legendary martial artist Dan Inosanto. He has been training in these arts for over 25 years.

There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

You should never try to use physical means to settle a problem with someone on the street. The first thing that you should do is try to resolve any issues or diffuse any problems with words. However, if you do find yourself in a situation where you must defend yourself, it's important that you understand basic street fighting tactics to stay safe and come out on top. If you try to avoid fights, learn how to defend yourself, and use the proper martial arts techniques and tactics to defeat your opponent, you can feel safe and confident if you end up in a confrontation with someone violent.

Steps

Method1

Defending yourself

1

Stay safe at all times. Though you may not get to choose where a fight breaks out, there are things that you can do to increase your safety in a self-defense scenario. Avoid fighting in the middle of the street or on hard sidewalks, concrete, or places with sharp or hard edges like concrete steps.

If your aggressor pulls out a weapon like a knife or a pipe, you should just try to run away from them.[1]

If someone is trying to rob you at gunpoint, you should give them whatever they want instead of risking serious injury or death.

Damage the soft spots on your opponent. Attacking areas like the face, temples, throat, kidneys, solar plexus, may eventually incapacitate your opponent.[2] Scratching, biting, clawing, spitting, pulling hair and attacking eyes can also be used. You are defending yourself from a violent aggressor, not fighting in a ring with rules. Use anything you can to ensure your safety. Use eye gouges and attack their throat with strikes.

Hitting the nose blurs the eyes and causes pain, and it just might leave your opponent dazed long enough to get away.

3

Attack their legs. Low kicks should be aimed towards shins, ankles, the insides or back of calves or thighs and kneecaps (if their legs are straight). Do not aim higher than knee or waist height because they will grab your leg. If you have an object like a bat or pipe, you can also aim for their legs. If your opponent is unable to walk or pursue you, you can get away safely without continuing the fight.

4

Attack your opponent from behind. Attacks from behind are difficult to see and avoid, and in a real fight, it is not cowardly to strike from behind. Watch your back, and attack that of your opponent(s). Use lateral movement to move side to side and circle your opponent. Attacking your opponents legs or getting control of his arms from behind may allow you to hold them down long enough for help to arrive.

5

Head butt your opponent fast and hard. Bring the top your forehead down to their nose and face. A headbutt can easily knock someone out or break bones in a person's face. Make sure to tuck in your chin and strike with the top of your head. Aim for the area containing their eyes, nose, and mouth.[3]

6

Learn to grapple. A successful grapple can put you in control, even if the attacker is much stronger or faster than you. Popular grappling styles include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, sambo, and wrestling. Learn how to submit, slam, or choke your opponent if you want to end the fight early. Getting positional control when the fight goes to the ground is also incredibly important.[4]

Method2

Using Strategy

1

Be aware of your environment. Aside from various objects that can be used as weapons and traps, knowing where to run is very important – especially when you're outnumbered. Use all of your senses. Don't just look around aimlessly, stay focused on what you might have to do.

2

Stand at a safe distance. You should stand safely away from your opponent unless you are ready to strike. The attacker needs to close distance to strike you, so staying just out of their reach means they cannot hit you. Try to stay on the side of the opponent, rather than face them head on. Remember that they can be an obstacle to themselves. Keep your guard up. You can cross your arms, which will allow you to bring them up and protect your face if they lunge at you.

3

Obtain a weapon. According to the rules of "reasonable force," it is your right to use as much force as necessary to ensure your own safety. If you pull a knife (or another weapon) on a guy and he continues the confrontation, then he pushed you to defend yourself. Living is your priority – damaging or intimidating your opponent enough to let you get away is your method.

Look for anything that you can use for a weapon like a broom handle, a bat, or garbage can cover.

Adrian Tandez

Jeet Kune Do Instructor

Adrian Tandez is the founder and head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center. He is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat under the legendary martial artist Dan Inosanto. He has been training in these arts for over 25 years.

Adrian Tandez Jeet Kune Do Instructor

If your opponent has a knife, try to disarm them. Adrian Tandez, a self-defense expert, says: “If you’re forced into a knife fight, you need to disarm your opponent quickly. If you can, take the knife from your attacker. While fighting, cover your vital organs, face, and throat. Keep your feet moving and use obstacles. Don’t make it easy for your attacker to injure you.”

4

Close the distance when you're ready to attack. Most people find it uncomfortable and unexpected for someone they attack to be right up in their space. Another advantage of staying in close is that your attacker won't be able to fully extend their arm, and it will reduce the power of their punching. Try to wrestle the person to the ground and get control over their body. If they are laying on their back, they won't be able to punch as hard as if they were standing up.

5

Stay as relaxed as you can, and breathe deeply. The more relaxed you are, the harder you will strike and the less susceptible to injury you will be. Regulate your breathing by breathing in deeply through your nose and exhaling out of your mouth. Short shallow breaths will tire you out quicker and could tip the fight in your opponent's favor.[5]

The more excited or stressed you are, the quicker you will fatigue in a fight.

Adrian Tandez

Jeet Kune Do Instructor

Adrian Tandez is the founder and head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center. He is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat under the legendary martial artist Dan Inosanto. He has been training in these arts for over 25 years.

Adrian Tandez Jeet Kune Do Instructor

Use proper technique to avoid injuring yourself. Adrian Tandez, a self-defense expert, says: “With proper alignment, your shoulder should line up with your elbow and your wrist and hand. You will deliver a lot of force while staying stable. You can withstand the returning force because proper alignment is like a shock absorber.”

6

Establish your balance so that you can stay on your feet. Spread your legs to shoulder width and bend your knees. Going to the ground is very dangerous to the untrained fighter, especially if the opponent has weapons, back-up, or ground-fighting experience. If you find yourself tangled up with them, break away any way you can.[6]

Method3

Avoiding the Fight

1

Walk away from the fight. Although obvious, the best way to win a street fight is to refrain from fighting in the first place. In the majority of street fights, there will be a warning before actual physical aggression occurs. Try to resolve the fight before it breaks down into fighting. In verbal disputes, stay calm and take a firm stand, but take an apologetic approach. Remain neutral and non-confrontational. You can try to Apologize to the person and explain that you didn't mean to do whatever angered them in the first place.

Signs that someone wants to fight you include clenched fists, an aggressive posture, and yelling or cursing.[7]

You can say something like, "Hey, I'm sorry that you took it that way, but I didn't really mean anything by it. Sorry for the misunderstanding."

If they keep approaching you, remember to keep your hands up or arms crossed just in case they attack. You can say something like "Hey man back up!" or "I'm not trying to have a fight right now, please give me some space."

2

Know when and how to run. If you are outmatched, outnumbered, or just not willing to fight, then you should run at the first opportunity towards a public, well-lit area with other people. When escaping in the middle of a confrontation, try to impede your opponents as much as possible by blocking them with obstacles.

If you can put a trashcan, car, bus, or another barrier between you and the attacker, all the better.

Run between narrow paths, such as between cars, a narrow stairwell or a narrow hallway. This will prevent the opponents from ganging up on you.

If you know you won't outrun them, don't try. If you are caught (especially with multiple attackers), you are more likely lose the fight due to a simple lack of energy. If you find yourself in this situation, turn around and get ready to defend yourself.

3

Be as loud as possible. Don't be afraid to scream or yell out for help. Look for any authority figures like the police or security guards. Being loud and shouting brings unwanted attention that your attacker would rather not have. It also distracts them and could make them panic, making them less conscientious fighters. If other people see the potential fight, your attackers may be less inclined to use physical violence.

You can yell something like, "Help, this guy is attacking me and trying to hurt me!" or "I need help, someone call the police!"

When you ask for help, identify a person and look them in the eyes before you begin to yell at them.

If you make a scene your aggressor may just walk away.

4

Escape as soon as your opponent(s) are incapacitated. Phone the police or alert some other authority as soon as you can. Let them know where you are, where the attack occurred, and describe your attackers. Don't try to stand your ground and beat up everyone if you have to fight multiple people. Find your first opportunity to leave and take it.

5

Apologize for your actions. If you've done something to anger someone to the point where they want to physically assault you, there's a chance you may have done something to provoke them. Think about your actions and apologize and walk away from the person. Try to understand things from their perspective, and make sure that your apology is genuine. Even if you don't understand why they got mad, try to feel empathy towards their anger and diffuse the situation instead of escalating it.

For instance, if someone is yelling in your face and getting aggressive, you can say something like, "Hey, I'm sorry I spilled your drink man. It was really crowded, and I got bumped into you. I really didn't mean to mess up your shirt. Are we cool?"

If you said something to offend someone you can apologize by saying, "I didn't mean to offend you with my comment. I thought about it and I realized I was being ignorant. I really am sorry. Can we drop it and move on?"

6

Understand the seriousness of fighting. Assault charges can range from a misdemeanor to a felony. If you provoke a fight and seriously injure the other person, you can be charged by your state and serve prison time. The penalties for a serious assault charge can range from a year of probation up to life in prison in some states.[8] Fighting also risks your own health, well-being, and life. You should really avoid fighting at all costs when on the streets.

If you want to get out your aggression or you enjoy fighting, consider joining a gym that trains in mixed martial arts.

Other types of gyms that you can join to get fighting practice include Muay Thai and American boxing gyms.

In a real street fight, there is no such thing as a man or woman, only enemies and aggressors. A fighting woman can hurt you just as badly as any man can. If you have a problem hitting a woman, then do anything you can to diffuse the situation and get away.

What should I do if I encounter seven or eight enemies with knives in a street fight?

Community Answer

You have no chance; run. Do not let them circle you, if you strafe around them to keep them in front of each other they will actually block each others' movements, but it's very temporary. If you have no escape route, try to keep them in line as well and be ready to be cut, it's inevitable. Try to control the wrist holding the knife and stand outside of his body on the same side as his knife (minding his other hand). keep him between yourself and the others. Push your fingers between his thumb and knife and twist his wrist outward, he will be forced to let it go. Above all, if you see an opening, run.

I was attacked by a group of 8 guys who I didn't know and although I backed away to try to avoid the fight they kept following and hitting me. I'd like to know if there was anything I could have done to avoid ending up in the hospital that night.

Community Answer

Under those extreme circumstances, your only chance is to severely hurt one of them enough that the rest run away, or get help from other people. Carrying a self-defense item like pepper spray may help you in the future.

What if the attack is by your child in your home and you need to hold him down until police arrive? What is a good hold that you may have to hold for 10 minutes?

Community Answer

Getting top position in a full mount is probably the best in this scenario. Try to use your body weight to hold them down while your legs are wrapped around their torso and they are lying on their back. They will tire themselves out trying to get from under you and you can take that time to subdue them.

The groin, stomach, back, the face (be careful when you hit the face, because if something goes wrong you might end up with sore, or in the worst case, broken fingers, so if you choose to hit the face, you would be better off using your elbows), and the chest.

All martial arts work well in a street fight if you are in good shape and have practiced with opponents at full contact level. Just learning a few techniques and forms or hitting a bag or mitts won't help.

They can hit harder if they know what they are doing, so it is more dangerous. But the best solution if you can't run is relax; since you are smaller you are probably slightly faster, even if by a little. Try to strike at the weak points: eyes, throat, face, groin, inside thigh, shin (a good shin kick will screw up anyone's night), rib cage, and sternum. Strike with the palm, not the fist; you aren't wearing gloves, so you can easily wreck your knuckles.

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Tips

Learning a martial art can prepare you to win a street fight if you're pushed into a corner. Choose a fighting style that teaches strikes, hand-to-hand combat and ground fighting so you can be effective on your feet and or on the ground. However, keep in mind that even if you have studied martial arts for a long time, you still aren't necessarily safe on the streets.

If you are fighting more than one opponent, attack the one closest to you first. If you get one or more opponents down, run. Sometimes, taking out just one can scare the others off.

Count how many opponents are after you, and commit this to memory. This will prevent surprise attacks on you if they split up.

If someone else is better trained at dealing with this situation, leave it to them. Don't try to interfere, as you may end up causing more trouble. Follow any reasonable commands they give you.

Warnings

Never try to fight when intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, unless necessary for your own safety and you're unarmed.

This article is presented as a basic guide to dealing with difficult situations and is not intended as a substitute for actual self-defense training. If you are concerned with learning to defend yourself against physical violence, find a reputable self-defense class in your area. If you do not know where to begin, consider asking at your local police station.

When hitting your opponent's face, be very careful. You can wind up with broken fingers or severe cuts if you hit the forehead, teeth, or nose.

Fighting can cause injury or death, and land you in jail.

"Reasonable force" is the most important phrase to remember when defending yourself; the law generally permits you to do enough to prevent the attacker from harming you, but no more. Do just what it takes to run away, and notify the authorities as soon as possible. Things such as kicking someone while they are down are considered assault even in the context of self-defense in some countries.

If you want to win a street fight, focus on attacking your opponent's weak spots, like the face, temples, throat, and kidneys. You can punch, scratch, bite, claw, spit, or pull the hair of your aggressor to gain the upper hand. Also, look around for any objects that you can use as weapons--you're defending yourself, so there are no rules. Be as loud as possible during the fight, which will hopefully get the attention of anyone nearby who can help you. If you are outmatched or outnumbered, try to run away at the first opportunity you get towards a public, well-lit area. To learn about other defense moves you can try in a street fight, read on!

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This article was co-authored by Adrian Tandez. Adrian Tandez is the founder and head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center. He is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat under the legendary martial artist Dan Inosanto. He has been training in these arts for over 25 years.

"I really hate fighting, and never had a fight in my life. However, I am currently being stalked and threatened by a girl who wants to fight me, so I have to find ways to defend myself. I took a boxing class last year, but never had to use any of the techniques that were taught. Now, I might have to so that's why I read this article. It was very helpful. I learned some new things about fighting. Thank you. "..." more

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Christian Roberts

Apr 27, 2017

"It helped a lot, because I really need to learn the basics of knocking a person out. It also helped for self defense. I thank whoever made this article, it helped me a lot, thanks!"..." more

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Anonymous

Nov 17, 2016

"Step #12: "Think you are a wolf, do not think about tomorrow, do not wait for help, do not wait for the police. You do need witnesses." Gotcha. I can do this."..." more

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Abbas Aghasy

Nov 12, 2016

"It was very good, especially the parts that were based on kind of experience! Always carry a weapon, that's my advice!"..." more

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Louis Simon

Jan 7, 2018

"It's important for a man, women, boy and girl to protect themselves as nobody is going to do it for you, protect self!"..." more

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Anonymous

Apr 23, 2017

"This video is all around well made with the info it has even if it's just to refresh on. Thank you for sharing."

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Anonymous

Feb 22, 2017

"What weak points of the human body to go for and how to see when the person is about to attack."

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Tyler Dunbar

Sep 15, 2016

"I learned a lot. The pictures were helpful. The details were abundant. Everything was great."

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Anonymous

Oct 15, 2017

"It did really help me a lot, I have a lot of confidence in the street."